Financial Governance

In December 2024, Angola stealthily entered into a US$1 billion one-year derivative contract known as a ‘total return swap’ with JP Morgan Securities Plc (“JPM”). The transaction was concluded at a time when Angola’s public debt was approaching 60% of GDP, intensifying scrutiny of non-traditional financing instruments that can generate hidden or contingent liabilities. Uniquely, this agreement unfolded without the usual spectacle of a traditional sovereign financing deal. There was no bond roadshow, no parliamentary debate, and scarcely any press fanfare following the event. This absence of public process meant that neither parliamentary scrutiny nor advance disclosure of potential contingent liabilities accompanied the transaction.

In conclusion, Zambia's journey toward economic recovery, guided in part by its IMF-supported programme, has been marked by both notable achievements and persistent challenges. The "broadly satisfactory" performance and positive forecasts from institutions like Moody's underscore the country's commitment to fiscal and structural reforms, with important milestones already achieved in debt restructuring and economic stabilization. However, the path forward requires unwavering dedication, particularly in addressing persistent issues such as overdue tax revenues and delayed structural reforms. By maintaining fiscal discipline, especially in the lead-up to the 2026 elections, and continuing to implement the ambitious reforms outlined by the IMF, Zambia can strengthen its economic resilience and transform its cautious optimism into tangible, long-term prosperity. The successful finalization of all debt-restructuring agreements in a transparent manner will be the final and critical step in cementing a stable foundation for sustained inclusive growth.

The Repository contains cases, documents, bibliographies and materials on International Economic Law relating to Africa and the Global South with a view to making these materials easily and freely accessible. At the moment, the repository contains cases from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, (COMESA), Court of Justice cases as well as an extensive summary of Africa's regional and sub-regional international economic regimes. Afronomicslaw.org invites our readers to contribute towards building this repository by proposing and submitting bibliographies particularly of materials of international economic law and international law that concern and relate to Africa and the Global South. The justifications for this repository include making these materials easily accessible and available especially in resource constrained environments. In addition, the repository is consistent with a major Afronomicslaw.org goals of: (i) centering and amplifying the scholarship that is excluded in the canon of international law in the most widely read publications; and (ii), producing content to overcome barriers to access such as cost of printed materials, paywalls and stringent intellectual property rights protections.

This report sheds new light on a critically overlooked dimension of Africa’s sovereign debt landscape—the transaction costs incurred through the use of intermediaries in debt restructuring processes. This report breaks new ground by exploring the charges, expenses, and costs arising from third-party intermediaries' participation and the broader implications these costs pose for debt sustainability across the continent.